“He shouldn’t have died.”
Seth didn’t speak again, hoping Mara’s soft voice was helping bring Blake’s temperature down. Instead of rage in his tone, now there was sorrow. So much damn sorrow.
“No. He shouldn’t have, but his team is helping his memory stay alive. So are you. So is Seth. Did you know he named the hens here after your brother and the rest of his team? He wanted to honor Caden.”
“By naming a goddamn chicken after him?”
Seth kept easing toward Blake. He was in the open, an easy target, but it appeared Blake was focused on Mara.
Her voice smiled. “We talked about that. I’m betting that from what I know about Caden, he would think it was hilarious. When we got the hens, we agreed that the bravest one, the first one to lead the way for the others, would be named Maki.”
“Bullshit. You’re making that up.”
“I’m not. You can see it’s true. We put up papers to let everyone know their names. To let everyone learn a bit about your honorable brother. You can see for yourself. The papers are right beside the door.”
Seth froze where he was. She was luring Blake right into the open. Right where he’d be an easy target. Seth knew that wasn’t what she was thinking. She was trying to prove to Blake that his brother was remembered, was honored in that memory.
Seth’s heart ached for her. For Caden. For Blake.
When Blake didn’t move or respond, Mara continued. “The top of the paper reads, Chickens of Chick Inn Time. These six hens are named to honor a group of incredible military men, one of whom was taken far too soon. Thank you for your service.”
“The first hen is Maki, followed by the rest of the team: Brain, Johnny, Clay, and Squid. The other six hens have silly Star Wars names, like Princess Lay-a-lot and Hen Solo. I’m betting Caden would have approved of those names as well. Something tells me he was probably a Star Wars fan.”
A sound between a sob and a word from Blake’s direction told Seth Mara was reaching him. The man was listening.
Seth eased closer again, but he was still five yards away if things went south. Unwilling to alert Blake to his approach, he hoped like hell Mara could keep weaving her magic.
Chapter 23
Ya Got Trouble
Mara wasn’t sure whether she was making things better or worse. She couldn’t seem to stop babbling. Seth had stopped talking, so she hoped she was giving him time to put his plan into action. He’d have one, she was sure of it.
Unable to come up with a different idea, she kept talking. “I know Caden was good enough to excel in the military. He would have been promoted often. But I also know he wanted to follow in your footsteps, and make room for other dreams in his life.”
She heard another sound from where she thought Blake was standing. Hoping she was doing the right thing, she kept talking.
“Everyone should have more than one dream. I know you found a new one with the cars you fix. Maki wanted to dive into medical research and help make lives better for others. Again. Military people do that all the time, don’t they? They help innocent families and kids stay safe or escape from dangerous situations into better ones. I bet Maki had fun with the kids overseas. He wouldn’t have had any trouble transcending language barriers. He would have played soccer and tag with them. Probably learned some words so that he could play.”
“He loved kids.”
Relief swooshed through Mara. He was talking to her. The rage had drained from his voice and it dripped with sorrow.
“He’d want you to have the chance to have some. And he’d brag to them about how he’s got the bravest hen at Chick Inn Time named after him.”
Another sound that might have been a laugh or a sob. Then a shadow detached from the trees and moved forward.
Blake moved toward the enclosure and shone his flashlight onto the papers beside the door. He was silent for a few minutes. “You weren’t lying.”
She had to swallow her own emotions. “No. Caden was well-respected. He was an honorable man, and he is missed by so many.”
Another shadow approached. Even in the almost dark, Mara knew it was Seth. He moved slowly until he stood a yard from Blake.
Seth’s soft voice reached her. “She’s right. Caden was a hell of a guy. His loss rips me to shreds in nightmares. He was one of the best, and he loved you so damn much. He’d want you to live a good life, to find joy and love. Have a couple of kids he would want to spoil.”
The man dropped something on the ground. “He shouldn’t have died. It should have been me.” The words were barely discernible with the sobs.
Seth patted Blake on the shoulder. “He would hate that. He’d want you to live a full life. Caden would want you to be happy, Blake.”
